All, the same initial reports from last fall/winter keep getting cited and
re-cited, often inaccurately. The majority of samples taken by CCD team
members have been live bees -- remember, CCD doesn't leave many bodies. Also, PA
bees were readily available to PDA and PSU and as such were the first to be
examined and the results reported. PA bees may/may not turn out to be
representative of CCD in other parts of U.S. And Fl bees with CCD have lots of
connections to PA.
Similarly, in the initial draft of the AIA survey, 50% of the returns were
from PA, 60% from PA and OH, 66% from PA, OH, and FL.
So PA has lots of data for their state, and the PA investigators have served
their state well. Contrast that to states where you can't find anyone to
even talk to about CCD or any other bee problem - since bee inspection services
have been cut back or eliminated.
Also, we drew up a map of fed, state, acad, and private bee research
facilities. Not surprising, the eastern half of the U.S. has the majority of the
bee research groups and probably the most beekeepers when you count all of the
hobby and sideline operations. Interestingly, in the west, not only are the
states geographically large, but so are many of the bee operations (large,
mostly migratory), but very sparse in terms of availability of bee research
groups.
Jerry
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